Second Continental Congress (May 1775) Packet

Transcription

1 Activity 1: 2 nd Continental Congress Writing Second Continental Congress (May 1775) Packet Directions: Write a paragraph summary about the 2 nd Continental Congress that answers these questions. You may look in a text book or research as needed. No WIKIPEDIA!!! 1. What was the main goal of the Second Continental Congress? 2. What colonies wanted Peace? What colonies wanted War? 3. What did the Second Continental Congress decide to do first to solve their problem with King? 4. Besides their first action, what else did the Second Continental Congress do to prepare to end their unhappiness with British rule? 5. What did the Second Continental Congress do to raise money for the Continental army? What did they use the money for? 6. What did the Committee of Five do? Who was on the Committee of Five? Activity 2: Profiles of Delegates Directions: Below is a list of delegates from the 2 nd Constitutional Convention. Pick three and answer the questions about them. You may look in a text book or research as needed. No WIKIPEDIA!!! John Adams Samuel Adams Richard Caswell Samuel Chase George Clymer Elbridge Gerry John Hancock Benjamin Harrison Patrick Henry John Jay Robert Morris Roger Sherman 1. Name: 2. Date and Place of Birth: 3. Date and Place of Death: 4. State they represented: 5. Family: 6. Occupation: 7. What did they do during the war? 8. What did they do after the war? 9. List 5 interesting facts about your delegate:

2 Activity 3: Continental Congress HIPPO Document 1: Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence (1775) 1. Resolved, That whoever directly or indirectly abetted, or in any way, form or manner, countenanced the unchartered and dangerous invasion of our rights, as claimed by Great Britain, is an enemy to this country to America and to the inherent and inalienable rights of man. 2. Resolved, That we the citizens of Mecklenburg county, do hereby dissolve the political bands which have connected us to the Mother Country, and hereby absolve ourselves from all allegiance to the British Crown, and abjure all political connection, contract, or association, with that nation, who have wantonly trampled on our rights and liberties and inhumanly shed the innocent blood of American patriots at Lexington. 3. Resolved, That we do hereby declare ourselves a free and independent people, are, and of right ought to be, a sovereign and self governing Association, under the control of no power other than that of our God and the General Government of the Congress; to the maintenance of which independence, we solemnly pledge to each other, our mutual co-operation, our lives, our fortunes, and our most sacred honor. 4. Resolved, That as we now acknowledge the existence and control of no law or legal officer, civil or military, within this country, we do hereby ordain and adopt, as a rule of life, all, each and every of our former laws, wherein, nevertheless, the Crown of Great Britain never can be considered as holding rights, privileges, immunities, or authority therein.

3 Document 2: Halifax Resolves (1776) It appears to your Committee, that pursuant to the plan concerted by the British Ministry for subjugating America, the King and Parliament of Great Britain have usurped a Power over the persons and properties of the people unlimited and uncontrolled, and disregarding their humble petitions for Peace, Liberty, and Safety, have made divers Legislative Acts, denouncing War, Famine, and every Species of Calamity, against the Continent in General. That British Fleets and Armies have been, and still are daily employed in destroying the people, and committing the most horrid devastation on the country. That Governors in different Colonies have declared Protection to slaves who should imbrue their hands in the blood of their masters. That the ships belonging to America are declared prizes of War and many of them have been violently seized and Confiscated. In Consequence of all which multitudes of the people have been destroyed, or from easy Circumstances reduced to the most lamentable distress. Resolved, that the Delegates for this Colony in the Continental Congress be empowered to Concur with the Delegates of the other Colonies in declaring Independence and forming foreign alliances-reserving to this Colony, the Sole and Exclusive right of forming a Constitution and Laws for this Colony, and of appointing Delegates from time to time (under the direction of a General representation thereof) to meet the Delegates of the other Colonies for such purpose as shall be hereafter pointed out.

4 Document 3: Patrick Henry Speech, Richmond, Virginia (1775) It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace-- but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death! Document 4: The Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms (1775), Thomas Jefferson and John Dickinson In our own native land, in defence of the freedom that is our birth-right, and which we ever enjoyed till the late violation of it-for the protection of our property, acquired solely by the honest industry of our fore-fathers and ourselves, against violence actually offered, we have taken up arms. We shall lay them down when hostilities shall cease on the part of the aggressors, and all danger of their being renewed shall be removed, and not before. With an humble confidence in the mercies of the supreme and impartial Judge and Ruler of the universe, we most devoutly implore his divine goodness to protect us happily through this great conflict, to dispose our adversaries to reconciliation on reasonable terms, and thereby to relieve the empire from the calamities of civil war.

5 Document 5: Olive Branch Petition (1775) We, your Majesty's faithful subjects of the colonies of new Hampshire, Massachusetts bay, Rhode island and Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, the counties of New Castle, Kent, and Sussex, on Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, in behalf of ourselves, and the inhabitants of these colonies, who have deputed us to represent them in general Congress, entreat your Majesty's gracious attention to this our humble petition. The union between our Mother country and these colonies, and the energy of mild and just government, produced benefits so remarkably important, and afforded such an assurance of their permanency and increase, that the wonder and envy of other Nations were excited, while they beheld Great Britain riseing to a power the most extraordinary the world had ever known. At the conclusion, therefore, of the late war, the most glorious and advantageous that ever had been carried on by British arms, your loyal colonists having contributed to its success, by such repeated and strenuous exertions, as frequently procured them the distinguished approbation of your Majesty, of the late king, and of parliament, doubted not but that they should be permitted, with the rest of the empire, to share in the blessings of peace, and the emoluments of victory and conquest. Your Majesty's Ministers, persevering in their measures, and proceeding to open hostilities for enforcing them, have compelled us to arm in our own defence, and have engaged us in a controversy so peculiarly abhorrent to the affections of your still faithful colonists, that when we consider whom we must oppose in this contest, and if it continues, what may be the consequences, our own particular misfortunes are accounted by us only as parts of our distress. We beg leave further to assure your Majesty, that notwithstanding the sufferings of your loyal colonists, during the course of the present controversy, our breasts retain too tender a regard for the kingdom from which we derive our origin, to request such a reconciliation as might in any manner be inconsistent with her dignity or her welfare.

6 Document 6: A Proclamation, by The King, for Suppressing Rebellion and Sedition, King George III, August 23, 1775 Whereas many of our subjects in divers parts of our Colonies and Plantations in North America, misled by dangerous and ill designing men, and forgetting the allegiance which they owe to the power that has protected and supported them; after various disorderly acts committed in disturbance of the publick peace, to the obstruction of lawful commerce, and to the oppression of our loyal subjects carrying on the same; have at length proceeded to open and avowed rebellion, by arraying themselves in a hostile manner, to withstand the execution of the law, and traitorously preparing, ordering and levying war against us: there is reason to apprehend that such rebellion hath been much promoted and encouraged by the traitorous correspondence, counsels and comfort of divers wicked and desperate persons within this Realm: to issue our Royal Proclamation, hereby declaring, that not only all our Officers, civil and military, are obliged to exert their utmost endeavours to suppress such rebellion, and to bring the traitors to justice, but that all our subjects of this Realm, and the dominions thereunto belonging, are bound by law to be aiding and assisting in the suppression of such rebellion, to use their utmost endeavours to withstand and suppress such rebellion, and to disclose and make known all treasons and traitorous conspiracies which they shall know to be against us, our crown and dignity; and for that purpose GOD save the KING.